Dimensionality of Social Persuasion and its Relationship With Academic Self-Efficacy

This study intended to explore the possible dimensionality of social persuasion as a source of self-efficacy. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986), as well as the existing literature, suggests that such dimensionality may be in reference to the source of the persuasive communication (e.g., parents, teachers, and peers). A total of 359 college students served as respondents in the two phases of this study. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors: social persuasion from parents, social persuasion from teachers, and social persuasion from peers. In terms of predicting academic self-efficacy, only social persuasion from parents and teachers had significant unique contributions. The current findings serve as an important contribution in further understanding the sources of self-efficacy, and improving measures, particularly that of social persuasion.